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Life of St Wilfrid
Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927
How the Most Blessed Agatho, Pope of the Apostolic See, Together with the Holy Synod,…
When therefore Bishop Wilfrid, beloved of God, reached the before mentioned see in safety with all his companions, the cause of his coming had preceded him and had become known there, for at that time Coenwald, a religious monk, had been sent by the holy Archbishop Theodore with letters from him and had reached Rome; and the quarrel was not hidden from the most blessed Agatho, Pope of the Apostolic See. Then indeed, when the most holy bishops and priests had gathered together to the number of over fifty in the church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is called the Constantinian, Agatho the most holy and thrice-blessed Bishop of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in the city of Rome said to those who sat in council, “I do not think that it is hidden from your holy brotherhood why I have summoned you to this venerable gathering. I desire this reverend body to learn and to discuss with me the dissension which has of late arisen in the churches of the island of Britain, where the company of the faithful has increased through the grace of God; accounts have been brought by the narratives of those who have come hither from thence, and by a succession of letters.”
Andrew, the most reverend Bishop of Ostia, and John, Bishop of Porto, then spoke: “The regulation of all the churches rests on the decisions of your Apostolic authority who fill the place of the blessed Peter, chief of the Apostles, to whom the Lord Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of all men, gave the keys for binding and loosing. But in accordance with what was enjoined upon us lately by your Apostolic judgment, meeting together in company with our brother-bishops and fellow-servants, we have re-read the several letters which envoys have brought from the island of Britain to your Apostolic See. We have read those which have been despatched from the person of the most reverend Archbishop Theodore, who was formerly sent thither by the Apostolic See, with the reports of others in addition to those same writings, against a certain bishop who, as they assert, is supposed to have come hither in secret flight; and we have also read those writings which have been presented by Wilfrid, beloved of God, the Bishop of the holy church of York, who has been ejected from his see by the most holy man before mentioned and has come all the way to appeal to the Holy See. In these letters, though they introduce many doubtful points, we find that he has not been convicted of any crimes in accordance with the plain sense of the sacred canons, and therefore his ejection is not canonical, nor have his accusers been able to prove by their own statements that he had been guilty of any crimes whatsoever, the scandal of which would justify his degradation. But on the contrary we consider that it was moderation which kept him from mixing himself up in certain seditious strife. But, after he was driven from his see, the aforesaid Bishop Wilfrid, beloved of God, informed his fellow-bishops of the merits of his case and forthwith hastened to this Apostolic See in which He who redeemed the Holy Church by His blood, Christ the Almighty Lord, founded the primacy of the chief priesthood and established the authority of the chief of the Apostles. Finally the matter has been submitted to your Apostolic authority to learn what you enjoin to be done in this case.”
Agatho, the most holy and thrice-blessed bishop of the Holy Catholic Church in the city of Rome, said, “Wilfrid the beloved of God and bishop of the holy church of York is said to be at the doors of our secretarium; let him be admitted to our secretarium in accordance with his request, with the petition which he is said to be bringing with him.”
As Bishop Wilfrid the beloved of God entered the hallowed secretarium, he said, “I pray your Pontifical Holiness that you will command that my humble petition be received and read in your presence.”
The most holy Bishop Agatho answered, “Let the petition of Bishop Wilfrid the beloved of God be received and read before the whole assembly.” So John the secretary took it and read it to the holy Apostolic Council.